Weymouth pubs foresee loss of Olympic profits

Licensees in Weymouth look set to miss out on vital Olympics revenue next summer as the local council has introduced a new Sitting Out Policy which will ban people from using outdoor seating between 11pm and 8am.

The policy, due to come into force on 1 August, was passed by Weymouth & Portland Borough Council after members voiced concerns over late-night noise levels in the Dorset seaside resort.

Weymouth is the venue for the sailing event at next year's games. One local licensee is "absolutely stunned" at the council's decision.

Georgina Grayson owns seafront bar and nightclub Banus with her partner Richard, and had an application for a sitting-out licence from 8pm to 4.30am rejected by the council.

"It's a dreadful mistake," she said. "Everything is going on here to prepare for the Olympics. The whole town is having renovations and we'll be offering hospitality to international sailors and the media. It is absolutely crazy.

"The buzzwords at the moment are Continental café culture. If people are drinking outside and told at 11pm to move indoors, is that promoting such a culture?"

Grayson believes what the council's proposal amounts to is a blanket ban on out-side drinking, and claims it is unfair on her business, which has been commended by local authorities.

She said: "If one or two pubs are responsible [for noise], they should be the ones that are punished.

"They [the council] say there was wide public consultation. I have walked around the town and spoken to licensees and members of the public, but they weren't aware of it."

Chairman of the licensing committee, Councillor Ian James, said: "Being a former businessman myself I do have a lot of sympathy with Georgina and Richard because they are really nice people and run a very tight ship at Banus.

"The reason behind the policy was that pubs always used to be open until 11pm, and whilst Weymouth is a very busy seaside town we still have residents to think about. They don't want to be up until 4am."